Sunuwar, who had finished third in the last edition of the marathon, clocked 4 hours 22 minutes 5 seconds to clinch the title on Tuesday. Bhumiraj Rai of Nepal Police completed the marathon in 4 hours 24 minutes 25 seconds to take the second position. [break]Ram Prasad Dahal of Nepal Army finished third in the race clocking 4 hours 29 minutes 40 seconds.
Winner Sunuwar received Rs 40,000 while runner-up Rai bagged Rs 30,000. Third-place holder Dahal got Rs 20,000.
Bedana Gurung clocked 3 hours 47 minutes 5 seconds to win gold in the women´s half-marathon. Yangdi Lama of Solukhumbu completed the race in 3 hours 48 minutes 10 seconds to finish second while Sunita Limbu of Taplejung (4 hours 2 minutes 45 seconds) secured the third position.
Winner Gurung received Rs 20,000 while runner-up Lama and third-place holder Limbu got Rs 15,000 and Rs 10,000 respectively.
Altogether 123 marathoners -- 103 men and 20 women -- participated in the event. The marathon started from Tokmedanda (1,441m altitude), reached Pathibhara Temple (3,794m altitude) and returned to the finishing point at Tokmedanda. The half-marathon started from Tokmedanda, reached Bhalugaunde and returned to Tokmedanda.
Only four foreigners, two each in marathon and half-marathon, participated in the event. Local Devi Prasad Adhikari, 56, was the oldest participant.
Samir Tamang of Nepal Army had won the last edition of the marathon with a timing of 3 hours 49 minutes 43 seconds while Kanchhi Maya Koju of Armed Police Force had clocked 3 hours 2 minutes 35 seconds to win the half-marathon last year. Both the defending champions shunned the event this time.
The marathon marked the conclusion of the three-day Pathibhara Tourism Festival, where mountaineer Dorje Khatri, who had scaled Mt Everest, was felicitated with the title of ´Son of Pathibhara´.
Likewise, his judoka daughter Phupu Lhamu Khatri, who had won bronze in the Youth Asian Games held in Bangkok in 2010, was also felicitated by Taplejung District Sports Development Committee on the occasion.
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